Painter and draughtsman Christine Wrest-Smith studied at Monash University, with a semester at the Prato, Italy. Her realistic paintings and drawings are an exploration of personal territory using the birds nest as a metaphor to examine the process of construction, shelter and space. Each nest is a combination of strength and fragility, its individual characteristics beautifully rendered in paint or charcoal. Wrest-Smith varies her technique to match the personality of the individual nest, those put together with haste are loosely drawn, while those which were meticulously constructed are built up with precise layers of paint as they would have been made with exacting layers of twigs. What began as construction by one being has now become an expression through the process of construction by another. Wrest-Smith’s works have been exhibited in Melbourne and Italy. She was awarded the Savage Club Prize in 2010 and the Masterworks Contemporary Art Prize in 2011. She has completed several portrait commissions and her work is held in public and private collections.
PAST EXHIBITIONS
Congratulations Christine Wrest-Smith who has been announced a Finalist for The Lester Prize 2021 with her beautiful portrait of Uncle …
Image above: Christine Wrest-Smith Strength and Presence Congratulations to Graeme Drendel, Cathy Weiszmann and Christine Wrest-Smith for being selected as …
Image above: Rodney Pople ‘I did it my way’ (self portrait) 2020 oil and watercolour on linen (Archibald Prize) Congratulations …
Image: Pam Tippett Together – Amanda Bell AM 2021 oil on linen on panel 70 x 70 cm Australian Galleries …
Image: Stephanie Monteith Gunyah Beach Summer 2021 oil on panel 33 x 93cm To celebrate the re-opening of Hazelhurst Art …
Image: Danielle Creenaune Cascade Falls watercolour on Saunders Waterford 56 x 76 cm Congratulations to Danielle Creenaune who has been …
Image above: Rodney Pople Self portrait after Courbet (2) Congratulations to Graeme Drendel, Martin King, Lewis Miller, Paul S. Miller …
Image: Sarah Tomasetti From Balpatta IV 2021 oil and incision on fresco plaster with muslin, mounted on stretched canvas 145 …
David Frazer’s latest artist book, Love Letter, has recently been featured in the Sydney Morning Herald in an article written …
Image: Jennifer Keeler-Milne Spring Wattle I 2021 oil on linen 92 x 198 cm Congratulations to Jennifer Keeler-Milne who has …
Image above: Chris Ingham Urban mission I 2019 lithograph edition 3 76 x 56 cm Printmaker and sculptor, Chris Ingham …
Image above: Sue Anderson Christmas Island Pipistrelle coloured pencil on paper 30.5 x 22 cm ‘Extinct’ is a recently published book by …
Image: Angus Fisher Rosellas and Banksias 2021 ink pen and watercolour on paper 76 x 56 cm Angus Fisher has …
